AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 December 1924, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CAP',II ASSOCIATION. AUSTRALIAN SUGAR EMBARGO. SYDNEY, December 21. The extension of the period of the embargo on the importation of sugar into Australia for three years from 31st. August next has Ikhoi decided tipon by the Federal Ministry. This assistance is tu lie given to the sugar ’ .ilustry subject, to compliance with certain conditions regarding the price of sugar to the consumer, and other matters. The retail price of small parcels of refilled sugar will remain at 4}d per lh., hut there "ill he concessions of various kinds embodying advantages to the consumer as compared with the present arrangement. FIERCE SYDNEY GALE. SYDNEY. Deeemlier 21. The fierce southerly buster which swept over Sydney did considerable damage to property in many suburbs. In several cases roofs wore lifted into the air and carried considerable distances. Trees wore uprooted and big windows blown out. From almost perfect calm the gale’s velocity rose to about forty miles per hour and as the full force of the gale was experienced the squalls registered up to fifty miles per hour. Several people were more or less seriously injured hv falling debris. Many narrow escapes are reported. Tl ie harbour ferry services wore disorganised and the small vessels were unable to leave port. The telegraph lines are seriously affected and the services with Melbourne and Adelaide are eight to ten hours behind. SYDNEY’S UNEMPLOYED. SYDNEY. December 21. Concerning the operations of the unemployed workers in Sydney it was stated that four thousand names were registered at the Labour Bureaux throughout the State as unemployed, "hereof 2,4.1." were in receipt of unemployment sustenance. Tile remainder are not yet eligible. The total am-

ount paid by the fund from Uth. September. 1924 tu l.'tth. December, 1021. was £2BLISS. FIGHT ON THE 11TG1I SEAS. the houck vanquished. HOBART. December 24. Some time ago while endeavouring to effect the seizure of the fishing ketch Dauntless, which was alleged to he trapping crayfish off St. Helens, the water Bailiff. Challenger, accompanied by Trooper Blair, hoarded the vessel daring the night and aroused the skipper who admitted the offence, hut said that he was not going to he taken alive, and called on his crew of throe to aid him. Challenger produced his authority and warned the men of the seriousness of their action. He told them that the boat was now in his charge: hut. nevertheless, the crew rushed forward, and started to raise anchor. Blair and Challenger endeavoured to stop then). A fierce struggle for possession of the ketch, lasting half an hour, ensued, hut as the sails had been set the police gave wav in the face of the larger opposition. Challenger informed the .skipper and the crew that they were under arrest, hut. the vessel stood out to sea. Blair and Challenger decided that if they could get the Captain off the boat they might lie able to manage the men. The Captain was asked to take Blair ashore in a motor boat which lie eventually agreed to do and Challenger immediately .headed the ketch for Hobart, but the wind dropped and she became becalmed. The captain later returned and after being made aware of Challenger's intentions he rushed him. In the ensuing struggle Challenger fell over the side. hut. fortunately, landed in the motor dinghy alongside.

Challenger having not any means of defence was forced to submit and "as conveyed ashore. Warrants have now been issued for the arrest of the master. William McKay. and the crow of the Dauntless. Lite on Monday night the Dauntless crept into the Tamar River and under the shelter of darkness, the crew hoarded a train for Hobart for the purpose of giving themselves up to the police. The vessel was known to lie in the vicinity and the men were arrested aboard the train shortly before they [•••ached Hobart. TROUBLE OX ZF.AI.AXDTC. BRISBANE. December 21. Forty members of the crew of the White Star liner Zealandic were charged in Court with lieing absent from the ship without leave. After evidence has been heard the parties eonlevred and arrived at an agreement. The master then withdrew the charge and the men returned to the ship.

(The crew made eeiitain demands, with which the master of the vessel refused to comply, and .70 dissatisfied seamen left the vessel in a body. Marrants were at once issued for their arrest.) POST MORTF.M St'PRORTS SUICIDE. SYDNEY. December 27. When the body of .Tames Dwyer was exhumed an exhaustive posl-nioi tom was conducted. It is understood that medical men are agreed that the head wound could have been, and was. self-inllieted. The body was reinlerred. | Dwyer’s body was found oil a road, with wounds on the head, neck and chest. Murder was suspected at first, hut there was only one set ol lootprints near the body, and the police concluded that Dwyer had inllicled Hie wounds himself when in delirium iremens.

’XMAS EYE CROWDS. SYDNEY, December 2-7. The crowds which visited the city and suburbs on Christmas Eve showed a marked reduction compared . with previous veers. This is to some extent accounted for by the cold southerly Enquiries among retailers showed that the volume of business in most respects has been up to the atei.ige of the Christmas previous years, mu- <•“' v shopping period commenced much earlier than usual owing to the protracted nature of the cricket Test match.